Full stroke latch for remote control



April 8, 1947..

F. G. NICOLAUS FULL STROKE LATCH FOR REMOTE CONTROL Filed July 2, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 275 21 152%7ZZ07": 1 72173% 6: fic' [alas (B3, ufi arzzey alm- April 1947- F. G. NICOLAUS 2,418,598

FULL STROKE LATCH FOR REMOTE CONTROL Filed July 2, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FZ /EZ 6f o/azza I 21507726 Patented Apr. 8, 1947 OFFICE,

FULL STROKE LATCH FOR REMOTE CONTROL Frank G. Nicolaus, Chicago, 111., assignor t. Raymond T. Moloney, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 2, 1945, Serial No. 602,889

11 Claims. 1

This invention pertains primarily to latching devices, and more particularly to latching devices adapted for remote control as by electrical releasing means.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a latching device of the class described which is of general application, but which is especially suited for use in conjunction with coin-operated dispensing, vending, and amusement machines, wherein the novel latch is released as a result of depositing a coin in one of the known types of coin-testing device.

Viewed from another aspect, it is an object of the invention to aiiord an electromagnetically releasable latch including a main operating lever which must be moved to the full length of its operating stroke before it can again be operated forits intended purposes, the device in this respect being characterized as a full-stroke control or latch.

A further object is the provision of a device of the class described in which the electromagnetic releasing and latchin means cooperates with the full-stroke latching means to afford a simplified and sturdy construction.

Another object is the provision of an astatically balanced latching armature for the latch-release means, such that the device cannot be tampered with in attempts at fraudulent operation by jarring and shaking of the amusement or other coinoperated machine with which it is associated.

Additional objects and aspects of novelty re- .late to details of the construction and operation of the device, which will appear more fully as the following description proceeds in view of the annexed drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of the novel latch and fragmentary portions of a coin-controlled amusement machine actuated thereby;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section along lines 2--2 of Fi 1;

Fig. 3 is another bottom plan View of the latch shown in normal and operated condition;

. I Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the latch looking in the direction of lines 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section along lines 5-5 of Fig. 1 showing fragmentary portions of the amusement machine controlled by the novel latch;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 wherein the result of operation of the latch is illustrated.

The invention as illustrated in Fig. 1 is associated with a ball-rolling amusement game, illeluding a ball-rolling panel I!) on the underside 2 by screws I3 to the underside of the main panel ID, the shuiiie panel I I being disposed in a normal condition by action of a spring I4 having one end anchored to a lug I5 on the latch, and its other end anchored to a pin It on the shufiie panel.

To understand the operation of the shuffle panel, attention is directed to Fig. 5, wherein it will be observed that the main or ball-playing panel I ll is provided with a plurality of ball dropout holes IllA, and the shuffle panel II is provided with corresponding (and larger) holes I IA. Normally, the shuflle panel is disposed, by action of spring I4 (Fig. 1) with the holes I IA out of register With the ball pockets or holes IDA, as in Fig. 5, so that a ball B will be sustained in hole IIJA for the purpose of operating a ball-switch 20 attached to the underside of the shufiie panel, to project into hole II A.

When the shufile panel is released or moved from normal blocking position to the condition illustrated in Fig. 6, holes I 0A and I IA are in register and the ball B may drop through to be returned for further play by means not shown but well-known in the art.

The novel latch control I2 is interposed between a manual operatin plunger 2I (Fig. 1) and the shuffle panel II so that the latter can be moved to release the balls by pushing in plunger 2I only under certain conditions, to be described.

As shown in Fig. 1, latch I2 consists of a base plate secured by screws I3 to the main ball panel Ill. Pivoted at 3| on plate 3!) is a main operating lever 32 having an upturned edge por-- tion 33 affording an abutment piece engaged by the inner end of the plunger 2I.

Pivotally connected at 34 to lever 32 between its ends is a link 35, which in turn is pivotally connected as at 36 to a bar 3?, adjustably fixed on shufile panel H by. means of slot bolts 38 thus, oscillation of lever 32 will efiect reciprocation of the shufile panel; however, spring I4 normally shifts the shufile panel to ball-blocking or sustaining position, with a consequent positioning for displacement by plunger 2I'in the condition shown in-Fig. 1. r

Mounted concentrically of the pivot point 3| i an arcuate rack 48 (Fig. 1) provided with a rack of teeth 4| intermediate of its ends, the rack of teeth being flanked by cut-outs or dog-releasing slots 22 and i3, and the arcuate rack member.

being secured to plate 36) by screws 44 and spacing washers 45 (Fig. 4) so that lever 32 may pivot beneath the rack bar from the normal position shown in Fig. 1 to the advanced position shown in full lines in Fig. 3.

Near the outer end of lever 32, pivoted on the latter as at 45 is a full-stroke dog having a locking nose 4? adapted to ride over the teeth 4|, there being a centering spring 48 attached to a radial projection $9 on the dog and anchored to pin meanszsfl on the levensuch that the dog can pivot in either direction from a normal position determined by spring 48, as in Fig. 1 (the electromagnetic latch-releasing means, however, in Fig. 1 being energized so that the dog is free to be pivoted by spring $8 with nose 51 in cutout or slot 42).

The electromagnetic release means includes an armature piece 52 pivoted at 53 and having a latching arm 54 adapted to cooperate Withthe dog nose 4'', as will appear. Also part of the arma ture structure is an astatic balancing arm 55 which renders said structure inert to jarring efforts intended to fraudulently Edisplace and release thelatching structure.

;An electromagnetic coil :56 isrsecured at -51 to an upset-flange 158 (Fig. 4also) on 2thebase plate '30, and this coil, when energized, is adapted 'to attract the armature from its latching position (full lines, Fig. 3) to released position (full-lines Fig.1).

Means for holding the latching armature structure in "released condition includes a hold- 'tothe end'of'the armature '52 (Fig. 1') the location 50f "the points :of attachment "of said spring being :such that the latterxtends :to urge the free endof the dog ilever toward the armature, that is, anticlockwise, Figs. 1 and3. Said free-end .of the dog lever is providedwith oiiset notches 65 and 56 such that the end lei-armature 52 fits :in';notch 165 -(Fig. 3) when the armature ;-is in latching position, the dog lever pivoted away from the end of the armature (clockwise) and against a stopping lug 6'! on plate 30 .atthistime by :a previous advance of lever 32 into the'full line positionofiFig. 3 as a result of inward displacement of the plunger 2!, which will have caused pin 58 on lever 32 to bear against a cam edge 69 on dog lever 6!], thus shifting the dog leverclockwise against stopping lugs].

Assuming that the main operating lever v32. has .been moved to advanced position, as infull lines, Fig. 3, and said lever ,is permitted to return toward normal position (dash-dot lines, Fig. 3), the nose A? of the full-stroke dog will train over the rack teethM until it abuts the first tooth and, the angled end projection 54A ofthe latchingarm 54, which .is contrived to hold .thedog nose A! in ,jammingrelation with-said first wtooth. thereby preventing another "advance of the mainlever 32 until such-time as the latchingsarmature portion M is withdrawn, as in Fig. 1, at which time, the full-stroke dog will be permitted 'to return tonormally centered position "by action of spring 48,-with the dog nose l'liree in cut-away or notch 42 .on the :rack.

Operation 12 connected by conductor E3 to one-terminal of a power source or battery M, the remaining terminal of which is connected by conductor I5 to the remaining terminal of coil 56. Contact arm it is moved into closed circuit relation with contact arm i2 by action of a coin bearing against arm Hi, and the resulting energization of coil 56 attracts armature 52 from the locking condition of Fig. 3 to the released condition of Fig. 1, and as soon as armature 52 moves downwardly under attraction of the magnet coil, spring 52 on the holding lever 68 causes the latter .to move inwardly toward the end of the armature so that said end latches in the second notch $5 on said holding lever, thus holding the latching arm 5% in the position Of Fig. 1 so that the full-stroke dog part 4'! is free to turn, under effort of its spring 48, into cut-away or slot 42.

If now plunger 2! is pushed inwardly against flange '33, main lever 32 will be free to be moved to advanced position thereby with the full-stroke dog trailing idly over the teeth 4|, the fullstroke dog pivoting in an anticlockwisedirection during .this'action until dog nose 4? reaches v,the end of the stroke of lever 32 andis again freeto be centered by its spring 1-8 :in the full-line condition of Fig. 3.

As soon as plunger 2-! isreleased, the :main spring M will restore. lever 32 to starting position through the linkagefiii, 8l,:35, 34; however, during the aforesaid advance-of lever 32, the pin 68 thereon will have'engaged theicam .edge 91011 lever.32 and have tripped out :the holding @lever 6E] from the condition of Fig. 1 tothe latching condition of Fig. 3, so that whenthe main: lever .Blreturnsto =normalposition, i. e., the dash-pot sition adiacentsaid. first tooth,.by.reason= of which the full-stroke dog cannot pivot into slot illto normal position, and main lever32 therebywbeing prevented from a :further operation or advance until 001156 is again energized-so "that the, parts againassume thepositions-of Fig.1.

As a result of the advance of lever 32 rby plungerszi .as aforesaid, following .energization of coil 55, linkage 3:2 :35, 35, 31, -38 shifts the shuffle panel H to bring the drop-outholesfl in into register with ball holes HBA-sothat zany trapped balls may drop through for restoration to playing condition (not illustrated'excepting for the release of the ball as in Fig. 6).

it will be understood that the full-stroke latching means hereinabove described may be used with other controlled :instruinentalities, :in addition to the ball-playing game :means described for "purposes of illustration; .and it will alsobe-understoodthat'the releasing coil:56 may be energized by means other than "the coinactuated switch, iii-l2, shown "for purposes of illustration, for example by a push-button switch or the like.

I claim:

l. Mechanism of the class described comprising an operating lever mounted for os'oillatory motion, a 'full-strolie dog on said lever, a rack for said dog and arouately arranged to'ibe traversed by said dog in motion of said lever back and forth, said rack being flanked at opposite ends by cut-outs serving to free said dog "when said lever is fully moved to limits of travel determined by the :length'of said rack, whereby? said lever must be moved to said limits of travel in ther direction for full-stroke operation, .lever means-normally and yieldingly preventingmovement of said dog into one of' said cut-outs to latch said operating lever in a predetermined position, and electromagnetic means energizable to move said latching lever means from latching position.

2. Full-stroke mechanism comprising a pivoted lever, cooperating rack and dog means for preventing back and forth movement of said lever excepting between predetermined limits of travel of the lever in opposite directions, releasable latch meansnormally preventing operation of said dog means to free said lever for =movement from one of said limits of travel, and

electromagnetically operable means for releasing -said latch means.

tion responsive to movement of said latch means into non-latching condition, and means operable responsive to predetermined movement of said lever from latched condition for releasing said automatically operable holding means for restoration of said latching means to latching condition.

4. Full-stroke mechanism comprising a base, a main lever pivoted on said base, an arcuate rack concentric with the pivot of said lever, a full-stroke dog on said main lever and working in said rack to prevent retractive motion of said lever once the latter has been started in either of its two directions of motion from a terminal position at either end of said rack, said rack having dog-releasing formations at said terminal positions whereby said main lever may be moved from one said terminal position toward the other following release of said dog by movement of said main lever to position said'dog opposite one of said releasing formations, a dog-latching lever on said base, spring means normally positioning said latching lever in latching position to prevent movement of said dog into one of said releasing formations, electromagnetic means energizable to move said latching lever from latching position, a second latching means operable to hold said first latch lever in non-latching condition responsive to movement of the latch lever from latching position by said electromagnetic means, and means for releasing said latch lever from held, non-latching condition responsive to movement of said main lever a predetermined amount following release of the first latching lever as aforesaid.

5. In a full-stroke lever mechanism of the class described, a main operating lever, coperating rack and dog means operating to prevent movements of said lever in any but full-stroke motion between opposite terminals, locking means normally preventing operation of said dog means at a particular one of said terminals to latch said lever against movement from said terminal, electrically actuated means for rendering said locking means ineffective, and means for holding said locking means in ineffective ,condition and actuated to release said locking means from ineffective condition responsive to predetermined movement of said lever from said particularlte'rminal following operation of said electrically actuated means. i

6. Full-stroke mechanism comprising a main operating member adapted to move between opposite terminals, full-stroke means for preventing retractive movement of the main operating memher once it has been started from one terminal toward the other and permitting such retractive movement provided the main operating member is fully moved to the terminal toward which it has started as aforesaid, a latching member yieldingly and normally positioned to prevent operation of said full-stroke means at a certain one of said terminals whereby the main operating member is held against movement from said certain termina1 toward the other terminal, and electromagnetic means operable to move said latching member out of latching position.

7. Full stroke mechanism including a main operating member movable between opposite terminals, full-stroke dog means cooperable with said operating member to prevent retractive motion of the latter toward one said terminal after it has been moved a predetermined amount toward the other terminal, releasable latch means normally cooperable with said dog means to prevent movement of said operating member away from a certain one of said terminals toward the other, means for releasing said latch means from latching condition, releasable means for locking said latch means in non-latching condition, and means operated by said main operating member for releasing said locking means.

8. Mechanism of the class described including a reciprocable shuille member, a main pivoted lever, means linking said shufiie member with said lever for reciprocable motion of the former with oscillatory motion of the latter, spring means normally urging the shuffie member and lever into a normal position, full-stroke mechanism cooperable with said lever to prevent retrograde motion of the latter relative to either of its limits of oscillation once the lever has been started from one said limit toward the other, said fullstroke mechanism being adapted to operate automatically upon movement of said lever to either one of said limits to permit restoration of the lever toward the other said limit, an astatically balanced latching armature spring-urged into latching position to prevent automatic operation of the full-stroke mechanism as aforesaid at one said limit whereby said lever is releasably latched at said limit, electromagnetic means for attracting said armature from latching to a non-latching position, a holding lever springurged to automatically engage and hold said armature in said non-latching position, and means on said main lever for tripping out said holding lever responsive to a movement of the main lever from the limit at which it is releasably latched as aforesaid.

9. Full-stroke mechanism comprising a, rack, an operating member movable back and forth relative to said rack, a dog pivoted on said operating member to drag over said rack, dog release spaces at the ends of said rack, a dog spring urging said dog to a normal position of release in either of said spaces when the operating member is moved to position said dog opposite the same, a latch member movable to blocking position adjacent a particular one of said spaces to prevent movement of said dog to release position therein, a detent operable to hold said latch mem ber against movement into blocking position as aforesaid, spring means cooperable with said detent and latch member for normally urging the latch member into blocking position and engaging the .detent in holding relation with the latch member when the latter is moved a predetermined amount out of blocking position,

means for moving the latch member said predetermined amount, and means operable responsive to. predetermined movement of the operating member away from latched position for tripiping out said detent.

'10, In a full-stroke mechanism, a main operatingmembermovable between limits, full-stroke dog mechanism cooperable with said operating member to prevent retrograde movementsof the later when the same is moved a predetermined amountvfrom one limit toward the other, electromagnetically released latch means normally preventing operationof the dog mechanism in the from saidlimit toward the other limit, and means zoperahl'eiautomatically upon electromagnetic release of said vlatch means for holding the latter released until the operating member has been movediacertain amount from said particular limit toward: the other limit.

1 -1.In a fluid resistant fullestroke mechanism of the class described and for use especially with coin controlled apparatus, an operating member, a full-stroke device operating to hold said member in a certain position so longas said full-stroke device is disposed in a certain position relative thereto, means normally urging said full-stroke device out of said certain position, means including an astatically balanced armature yieldingly urged into blocking relation with said full-stroke device to maintain the latter in said certain position, and electromagnetic means for attracting said armature away from said blocking position, said astatically balanced armature tending to resist displacement from blocking position by jarring efforts applied thereto.

FRANK G. NICOLAUS.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,004,981 Firestone June 18, 1935 839,304 Long Dec. 25, 1906 1,168,349 Villinger Jan. 18, 1916 2,003,349 Dumble June 4, 1935 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,418,598. April 8, 1947. FRANK G. NIGOLAUS It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Column 8, line 1, claim 11, for the Word fluid read fraud; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this cofrfirection therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent 0 0e.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of May, A. D. 1947.

LESLIE FRAZER,

First Assistant Oommz'ssioner of Patents. 

